BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Southeastern Louisiana junior Kovey Simmons was one of 11 student-athletes to clear a meet-high 17-0.75 feet (5.20 meters) in the pole vault and punched his ticket to next month's NCAA Championships on Friday at the NCAA East Preliminary Round at the Robert C. Haugh Track and Field Complex on the Indiana University Campus.

Simmons, a DeRidder native, cleared the mark on his third and final try. With the successful vault, Simmons advanced to the NCAA Championship meet, set for June 8-11 in Des Moines, Iowa.

“Kovey came up extremely clutch today to earn his spot in the NCAA Championships,” Southeastern head coach Sean Brady said. “He came down to his last attempt at several heights and came through each time.

“Special congratulations go to Coach (Mike) Bartolina for the work he did getting Kovey ready for this,” Brady added. “Several of the top athletes in our region weren't able to do what Kovey did today, so we go into the national meet knowing that if Kovey can improve just a little, he'll have a legitimate shot to be an All-American.”

Simmons was one of four Southeastern student-athletes in action on Friday. In the women's javelin, sophomore Chelsey Steele finished 38th with a throw of 134 feet, 6 inches (40.99 meters). Junior Michelle Ogashi also represented the Lady Lions in the women's triple jump, finishing with a jump of 39-1.25 feet (11.92 meters) which was good for 42nd place.

The lone Lion to qualify for multiple events, senior Michael Rheams competed in the men's triple jump. However, Rheams fouled on all three attempts and failed to register a legal jump.